Levelaide
by Akito Souma
Summary: Young Vegeta is too short to reach the beverage counter. An unwitting soldier tries to help out. The young prince does not appreciate this.


Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z. I do not own any of the characters created for and used in the series. I am making no money from this story or any other that has been written using characters from DBZ. Akira Toriyama is the creator and owner of Dragonball Z and its characters. I am merely borrowing them. The purpose of this story is entertainment for fans of the Dragonball Z series as well as for those who simply enjoy reading, and also to encourage free, educated thinking whenever possible.

A/N: This is just something I did for fun.

Levelaide

by Akito Souma

Eeknour was humming cheerfully as he walked into the Break Room on the fourth level of Freiza's ship. He'd recently returned from a successful purging mission and had been paid very well for his efforts--therefore he was in high spirits.

"I might never make an Elite-level soldier but at least I'll make lots of money!" He thought happily. He was grateful for this and for many other good things that had happened to him lately--the birth of a little sister back on his home planet and his quarters on the ship undergoing renevation, just to name a few--especially because he knew many other soldiers in Frieza's army lived miserable lives. Eeknour was usually miserable himself (Frieza's army was not a very fun, happy place to work) but he'd had what he considered a good stroke of luck and he planned to savor it while it lasted.

At the moment, Eeknour's stomach was grumbling rather loudly and it was still two hours until dinner. He just wanted something to hold him until then. Anything would do--a bag of veggie chips, a dough round….heading for the snack table, Eeknour spied a lone figure perusing the contents of the beverage counter.

It appeared to be a small child, hardly old enough to be out of diapers. The kid was dressed in a miniature version of the standard armour but it had been dressed up a bit by a flowing cape made out of obviously expensive material. The little boy's head was tipped back as he studied his choices. _He can't be more than three feet tall_, Eeknour thought,_ how does he plan to reach any of that stuff?_

He chuckled and walked over to the kid. He actually found it kind of insulting that they'd allow a child on board Frieza's ship, and give him armour no less! Still, he couldn't deny that the little guy was kind of cute; Eeknour loved children.

The child didn't appear to notice him. He stood on tiptoe, seeming to have made his decision, and reached for a bottle of berry-flavoured Levelaide. He didn't even come close to reaching it, Eeknour saw.

"Hey there, small-fry. Let me give you a hand." He said amiably, picking up the bottle and holding it out to the child.

The kid scowled. "I don't need your help, moron." He said in a tiny, raspy voice. His accent was so thick that his words were hardly understandable, and he spoke in the too-clear, halting pattern of a very young child that is not sure whether or not he is being understood.

"Hey, now. No need to get grouchy on me." Eeknour said, rumpling the kid's spiky hair with his free hand. "Where are your parents, kid? Aren't you a little young to be wandering around unattended?"

The kid jerked away from his touch and drew himself to his full height, thrusting his chin out. "Don't touch me!" He snapped. And then, his dark eyes narrowing, "You don't know who I am, do you?"

Eeknour couldn't help laughing at his threatening tone. "No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?"

"I am Prince Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, the son of King Vegeta of the Planet Vegeta, the heir of the throne of the Planet previously known as Planet Plant, the--"

Eeknour thrust out a hand, halting the child in mid-sentence. "Okay, I get it." He said hastily. "Sorry I didn't recognize you, Your Majesty. I was only just assigned here today."

"Fool, you've interrupted me! I haven't finished telling you who I am!" Prince Vegeta said, an even deeper scowl creasing his tiny features. He looked very offended.

"But I know who you are." Eeknour said.

"I don't care!" Prince Vegeta said, stomping his foot in frustration. "Shut up and listen! Don't you _dare _interrupt me again." He sighed, and glared up at Eeknour. Then he snatched the bottle of Levelaide from him. "Thank you." He said politely.

Eeknour blinked at this, not quite sure how to react to the strange child's changing mannerisms.

The Prince twisted the cap off the bottle with no apparent difficulty and downed half the bottle in one gulp. Sighing and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he told Eeknour, "I have to start all over thanks to you. Now then: I am Prince Vegeta, the Prince of all Saiyans, the son of King Vegeta of the Planet Vegeta, the heir of the throne of the Planet previously known as Planet Plant, the descendant of the great Legendary Super Saiyan and first King of Saiyans King Vegeta, who led our people from the wilderness into the far reaches of the universe, the one who is destined to become the next great Super Saiyan, the ruler of the fourteen continents of Planet Vegeta and the enforcer and upholder of all Saiyan laws, the embodiment of all Saiyan customs, traditions and beliefs, and the first of my age of three years standard in many millenia to hold a power level of eight thousand. And you, puny idiot, have just _insulted _me by suggesting that I need your help!" Having finished his speech, the Prince smirked up at him in apparent satsifaction.

Eeknour stared down at the smirking child. "Your power level is eight thousand?" He repeated dumbly.

Prince Vegeta sighed. "Of course! Haven't you been listening to anything I've been saying?"

"Well, yes. I just…wow, that is a lot for a little kid!"

Vegeta's smirk grew, and he puffed his chest further out in a show of pride. "I know. Everyone says I'm a prodigy and that I'll be great one day. I already _am _great though." He took another drink of his Levelaide, sipping delicately this time.

Eeknour had to agree with him. "Yes, you certainly are. I've heard all about you from the other men in my squad. There were rumors that your power level was off the charts but I had no idea it was true."

"It's all true. I'm every bit as mighty as they say." Vegeta told him smugly.

"Well, I certainly didn't mean to insult you. I apologize."

"Hmph." Vegeta sniffed. He walked past Eeknour to one of the tables in the Break Room and climbed into a chair. Then, his feet dangling high off the ground, he cupped his drink in tiny hands and began to take slow, measured sips.

Eeknour took a pagel and some cream spread from the snack table and then seated himself across from the Saiyan Prince.

"What do _you _want?" Vegeta said rudely, wrinkling his nose in distaste at seeing the other soldier.

"Oh, I just thought you might like to chat." Eeknour said pleasantly.

"Chat? What is…chat?" Vegeta asked.

"You know…talk, converse?"

"Oh. No, I don't to want to."

Eeknour ignored this and decided to pursue conversation anyway. He was curious about this child. If half the things he'd heard were true, then the child in front of him, so seemingly cute and innocent, was already a vicious killer who had helped to purge several planets for Lord Frieza.

"So, you're only three years old."

"That's what I said." Vegeta sighed in exasperation. "Are you some kind of dummy or something? Do you need me to repeat everything?"

"Nope. So what's it like being out on the battlefield when you're so young? Wouldn't you rather be playing with toys or something?"

Vegeta gave him an incredulous look. "Are you kidding?! I love fighting! Besides, it's my destiny. And toys are stupid."

"I see. So, you never miss just being a normal kid?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know…watching cartoons, taking naps in the afternoon, snacking and playing with your friends…"

"I never did any of that stuff."

"Really? Well that's…terrible."

"No. It's good. That stuff sounds dumb and boring. I don't want to do any of it." Vegeta finished his drink to the last drop and set the empty container on the table. "Besides," he said. "I'm too old for naps. Only babies take naps."

He hopped down from his chair and looked up at Eeknour. "You can clean that up." He said, gesturing toward his empty bottle. "It's beneath me."

With that, he turned and stalked out of the Break Room. Eeknour watched him leave. He was certain he would see the child prince again now that they were stationed on the same ship. When he did though, would Vegeta bother to acknowledge him or would he think it was beneath him?

He didn't know the answer for sure, but he thought he wouldn't mind either way. Although the kid was certainly a brat it somehow added to his charm. Unfortuately, an attitude like that probably wouldn't bring him anything but trouble in a place like this. Eeknour hoped that Prince Vegeta was at least a little more respectful to his superiors. If not…he knew he'd probably hear some more rumors about the prince soon. Less flattering and more disturbing rumors concerning his punishment…

He picked up the empty bottle that Vegeta had left behind and examined it more closely. _Berry-flavored Levelaide_, it read. _An excellent source of hydration after and during battle--hydrates cells more effectively than water! Helps warriors maintain a steady power level on and off the battlefield! Is also a wonderful source of Vitamin 9 for growing children!_

"Children." Eeknour said, sighing aloud as he set the bottle down. He thought of his newly born sister who he had yet to meet and then thought of the prince. He thought about how he would feel if someone expected his sister to go through half of the things that Prince Vegeta was going through now. How would that feel for her, for him, for their parents? And how could she be expected to hold onto the thing inside of her that made her a person? Her soul…

He knew the answer in his heart. In a place so very like Hell, the answer was, she couldn't.

_He--Prince Vegeta--_couldn't.

A/N: I could find plenty of suggestions about what Prince Vegeta's power level might have been as a child but nobody seemed to know for sure. So I went with my best guess. If anybody has better information, or notices other mistakes, please let me know and I will change it (assuming you can state your source). If you liked it or had particular thoughts, please review. Thanks.


End file.
